More Qpoll results on marijuana, gay marriage and state pensions

Floridians oppose legalizing the personal use of marijuana and are shifting their views on gay marriage, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.

Here are some of the major takeaways from the data that was released today:

--Floridians are nearly evenly divided on same-sex marriage, 43 percent in favor and 45 percent opposed _ a shift from a May 23 Qpoll that showed 50-40 percent opposition.

--Floridians oppose legalizing the personal use of marijuana _ 52-42 percent, as opposed to a Qpoll national survey that showed 51-44 percent in favor.

-- Floridians by a 53-34 percent margin support shifting new state workers into a 401(k)-type retirement plan rather than a traditional pension. House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, has raised that issue.

--Floridians by a 66-26 percent margin oppose charging lower tuition to university students who major in math and science fields as oppose to students who major in the liberal arts.

--Floridians oppose by a 73-16 percent margin a plan to allow the state’s top research universities to exceed the current 15 percent annual tuition cap.

Here is Quinnipiac’s release:

Florida voters are dead-set against a series of recommendations made by state officials regarding education, with the largest opposition, 71 – 7 percent, against a plan to set different achievement goals for students of different races, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Registered voters also strongly oppose, 66 – 26 percent, charging lower tuition to college students who major in subjects such as math, science, engineering and computers that lead to higher-paying jobs, and higher tuition for liberal arts majors, considered less employable, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.

Voters also oppose, 73 – 16 percent, the idea of allowing some public universities dubbed as “preeminent” to charge higher tuition that other state colleges.

Turning to public employee pensions, voters say 53 – 34 percent that it’s a good idea to make new state employees participate in a 401-k type retirement plan rather than the defined-benefit plan offered to current state workers.

“Voters, with little difference along political, racial or gender lines, find setting different goals for different races to be distasteful,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

“The data from this survey finds that voters like the idea of treating all students and colleges the same.”

They are also quite skeptical of Gov. Rick Scott’s challenge to the state’s colleges and universities to offer some four-year degrees for a total of $10,000. Only 29 percent think it is very or somewhat likely to occur, while 66 percent say it is not very likely or not likely at all to materialize.

Interestingly, while voters seem strongly behind the idea of treating all schools and students equally, when it comes to education, they have a different view about state workers.

The majority who like the idea of creating a two-tiered retirement system for state workers shows little difference by gender, with 55 percent of men and 52 percent of women thinking it is a good idea. But the political divisions are wider: Support is 69 – 20 percent among Republicans and 52 – 36 percent among independent voters, while Democrats are opposed 46 – 40 percent. Voters in union households are opposed 57 – 34 percent.

Same-Sex Marriage

Florida voters are changing their minds about same-sex marriage. They opposed this idea 50 – 40 percent in a May 23 Quinnipiac University poll. Today, voters are divided with 43 percent in favor and 45 percent opposed. Men are opposed 48 – 40 percent while women are divided with 45 percent supporting same-sex marriage and 43 percent opposed.

Floridians are less supportive of legalizing personal use of marijuana than the rest of the country. A bare majority of voters, 51 – 44 percent, told a recent Quinnipiac University national poll it supported the idea. But Florida voters oppose it 52 – 42 percent.

From December 11 – 17, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,261 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research.

Lloyd Dunkelberger

Lloyd Dunkelberger is the Htpolitics.com Capital Bureau Chief.
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Last modified: December 20, 2012
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